The Memoirs of Estelle Bourgoin Hebert

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Pages 91-100

That night step father took his son in law Eddie Hebert with him and took me home. He pass the night home. We wanted to give him our bed to sleep in but he didn’t want to. They sleep on blankets on the floor. Emile was very surprised to see me back. I told him about mother being too sick she couldn’t help me. The next morning step father instead of going home he went to Fort Kent town office to talk to the town manager to come to see me. I needed help he said. Earl Roberts was the town manager at the time. In the afternoon I saw a car coming at the house. He came in with a social worker or his secretary. It was the Aunt at Llewellyn Point. He talk to me for a while asking about Emile. I said he works one day once in a while for T.S. St John on the farm at Black Lake. He was working that day He looked all around the house. My broom of branches and the pail cover we were eating in. Nothing in the house kids. He shake his head and said to the women I saw poor but never that bad. He ask me about milk. I said there is some at Emile’s house but no money no milk. He said you cannot find a women to help you. and I said again there are 3 women over my in-laws but no money no help.

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He look at the stove pipe. It was all rusted ready to fall down. So he said tell your husband to come to see me at the town office tomorrow. I want to talk to him.

He left and stop at my in-laws and he was mad. One, at you women couldn’t go help this poor wife and let her have some milk for her children. He said what kind of people are you here. My mother was so mad. She said to him you don’t work for nothing and we don’t work for nothing too. And my milk is to sell not give away. Well, he said, if one of you can go work to help her. I’ll pay you $3 a week and let her have all the milk she can use and I pay you $.20 a quart. So Emily said I can go and I have a cow. I will let her have some milk. Mr. Robert said mark all your milk and every washing you will make and I will give you $1 each wash.

When he leave there he met Emile coming when he leave from work and Mr. Robert told me what kind of man are you. Your wife is sick alone and you didn’t have the heart of come see me yourself. People from Caribou had to come at your place. He said come see me tomorrow. I want to talk to you.

Emile was so mad when he get home He said that’s why you went to Caribou to lament your self to your step father

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and mother to talk about me but I didn;t know this that my step father had gone to the town office. That night Emily came with her cow and the next morning Emile went to see Mr Robets an dhe give him stove pipes and dishes and broom and canned foods and stuff besides. And when he got home he was not as mad.

A few days after a social worker came in too and she ask me questions and she look all the children over but they were all in good health. So she said you need medical care. I will see to it that you get it. And she said tell Emile to come to see me tomorrow. I want to see him.

So next morning he went where she said to meet her at the Fort Kent drug store. She had a job for him at the WPA working on the road. It was on Market St. She also give hi a big box of clothing and garden stuff and needles and bread. So the next morning he went to work bringing for his lunch pancake and slice of salt pork. That’s all we had.

He walks morning and night to go work. I begin to sew some clothing for the kids by hand and I made Laurette dresses and shirts for my little boys.

But that social worker she was transfer some place else so she couldn’t give me the medical help I need. One day I went to see a

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doctor, an old doctor Cote in Edmonton. He find my heart very weak. He told me not to lift nothing heavy and not to sit down fast and not to get up fast because you can drop. But try to walk slow but try to walk a little longer every day. And he give me drops of Digitalis to take 5 drops a day.

So every day I try to walk out door and every day a little farther. One day I went to walk and my walk was not about 50 feet at the house. When I heard Aurare screaming out door. Emily was there. When she came back I ask her won’t you tell me what Aurare was screaming about. OK she said she’s crazy. She thought that you went down the hill to see Alsime her husband. I said Oh Lord. Yes she said Estelle is not sick she just making believe. She is going down the the hill to see Alsime. So when Alsime came he she jump on him with a piece of wood and hit him and hit him. So alsime said I will go away. He came home and he was crying and ask Emile to buy his gun. Emile said no Alsime it’s your father’s gun and he give it to you and I don’t want your gun. He said I can keep it for you for awile but I can’t buy it, it’s yours. So he left his gun with Emile and went at the barn. And Emile’s father went

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to talk to him at the barn and said come back home and I will see that Aurare won’t do such a foolish thing like this again. So Alsime went back home. After a few days he came back to get his gun back.

The next spring I miscarriage. I was 4 months pregnant and I lost it. Not long after they transfer Emile to work near the house to put branches near the road. And after 2 or 3 weeks Mr. T. A St John ask Emile to work on his farm at Black Lake. So he quit the WPA. President Roosevelt had started giving reliefs to the poor so every month Emile went to get his part. Emily was still working for me and she spoil Clarence so bad. He was her god child and in her eyes Clarence never do anything wrong. She was good for me and my kids.

In the fall Mr St John had his crew for potatoes digging and picking. Emile went to pick for Wilfred Hebert for 4 cent a barrel. Laurette was 9 years old and Lewellyn 7 and poor Clarence he was 6 only. They start picking at dawn in the morning to the darkness at night and the children was so tired at night some time Clarence fell asleep while eating.

We were move in T.A. St john old house on the farm and this small old house had 2 doors. One to the north and one to the south.

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and the one to the north, the people who live there before us had a big dog and this dog scratch the door and made a hole about 10 inches around. And behind that house there was a hole in the wall and one day we find a porcupine upstairs. When he saw us he was scared. I don’t really know if we took his rent or he want to take our place. Anyway he went back to between the wall and took the hill running. Emile put a board on that hole and for the winter Emile block the door in the north with straw and board too. But it was so cold in this house. Again no storm windows nothing. Air came from all over. I keep the stove going until 12 to 1 o’clock at night and the next morning the water is frozen in the kettle and the stove.

Emily had to leave us. He husband was back from Presque Isle sanitorium. So we took one of my cousins to work for me. Mr. Roberts was still paying for her. Emily was crying whe she leaves and the children too especially Clarence. For me after my little boy wa dead I promise pyself that I won’t spoil my Aimee. He was spoiled no Emily have spoiled Clarence too.

I was still working for the company. Laurette help me to do the booties. I was getting stronger with

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drops that doctor Cote give me for my heart.

The next summer Emile works on the farm for T.A. St John and they pick the potatoes there that fall. Potatoes were near home. I could dress the kids for winter.

After potato picking Emile start fur trapping again. One day he came home with 10 skunks. It was smelling so bad it was just awful. He skin them and put them on his [fat mold??] and he hang them upstairs. They were nice. No one was alike but how they smell. Every time I went upstairs to get some flour I throw up every time. He put them in a steel container and ship them to George in New York. When his check came he didn’t stink.

In the spring Emile and his brother in law Fortuna Bourgoin went hunting deer. It was close season. It was March and when they met in the wood, the warden Cash Austin. And he took them to Houlton jail, no hearing or nothin. Bail is $200 each. As they had no money to pay it was for 60 days each.

Late at night I heard walking outdoor. I though it was Emile coming but it was a man to tell me that Emile was in jail for 60 days. Me pregnant again and the stable full of animals. We had a cow now and a calf and 2 pigs and Joe Hebert Emile’s

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brother had moved to town and he put his animals in our stable so Emile could care for them and now I was alone with a stable full of animals. Lew and Clarence help me to go get the water from the brook to give them drinks. After a while I didn’t have no more hay for Joe’s animals. So I wrote to him to bring me some hay but I get no answer again. So I went to father in law. he went to see Joe about his animals but Joe never came. I give them our hay so they won’t starve. Now I had no more hay for our animals too. So I bought a few bales of hay from Wilfred Hebert.

After a month have pass, Emily and Emile’s father went to Houlton and Emily pay the rest of their fine. He went down to see Joe and said come take your animals out my stable or I’m putting them out. So spring was hot enough. Joe came and took his animals to his barn.

Emile works for T.A. St John again that summer but in July he took sick, very sick. Joe took him at Eagle Lake Hospital and he was operated for a ruptured appendix. He was in the hospital for 25 days.

In October I give birth to Roland, another little

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boy and 6 months after I lost another baby at 4 months. And one year after in July I give birth to a little girl – I name her Geneva.

Emile quit working for T.A. St John and when Geneva was one year old or 14 months instead, we moved to pick potatoes for Joseph Theriault at Soldier Pond. And after potatoes over, Emile at last find a rent at Fort Kent. And we move there and Emile work in the potato house for T.A. St John.

And I took to [to ?] to take care as their mother was dead and their father was supposed to pay for them but he never did. For 3 falls we moved to pick potatoes for Phil Theriault and in winter he works in the potatoes house but he start his gambling again on weekend. Some time he came home next morning no more money. He lost everything and he was drinking beside.

Mr. St John ask him to work steady for him the summer on the farm in Daigle and in the winter in the potatoes house. So he took the job for $18 a week on the farm.

So in the spring we move on the farm and when Geneva was 5 years old one day were were on the proch . It was a very hot day. A man came and ask us for a drink of cold water. So we give him water and he look at me and said you give birth to 10 kids

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and I was very surprised because I lost 2 babies my miscarriage and one was dead. He said you will have 4 more. He was an Indian. I said no my baby is now 5 years old. Oh yes he said you will have 4 more and he laughed. I was mad at this man. A couple months later I was pregnant again and next August I give birth to a little girl. I name her Cecilia after St. Cecilia. She play music and I always pray at St. Cecilia’s.

Every winter we move in town and summer we move on the farm. Lew and Clarence began working on the farm for $3 a week each. They were smart boys and they were good workers. For Laurette, she help me a a lot in the house but some times I was so sick I was feeling to lay down and died. I kneel down and pray Dear Lord I pray if you don’t helpm e with your mother the virgin Mary, I can’t go on no more. The drops for my heart didn’t help me too much now. I was so tired I said Lord put your little finger on my hand and this way I will be able to go on again. And after praying I feel better. I could work again. I had the Lord on my side and with the Lord sometimes we can move a mountain. This was my support in my life. I pray and pray.

And Father Emile Robitbille is one who help me alot in my life too. He came to see me one day and